People
Kent S. Nevins

Kent S. Nevins

he/him/his

Chair Emeritus of the Management Committee

203.324.8163

knevins@goodwin.com

Stamford, CT

New York, NY

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Kent Nevins is the Chair Emeritus of the firm’s Management Committee, bringing to his real estate clients many years of experience honed in private practice and as a former general counsel to a prominent capital markets firm.

Kent is a highly sought-after advisor known for delivering business-oriented, outcome-focused legal counsel to clients engaged in complex, large-scale commercial real estate projects nationwide. With an impressive career spanning diverse property types —including retail, warehouse and distribution centers, student housing, fitness facilities, multi-family and hotels —Kent has successfully guided developers, owners, and funders on projects with an aggregate value exceeding $3 billion.

Among his more high-profile New York engagements, Kent represented general and limited partners in large-scale development projects including the assemblage, financing and disposition of properties at 86th Street and Lexington Avenue, and a major property on 50th Street. He also helped orchestrate a joint venture to acquire a fee interest in the iconic Lipstick Building on Third Avenue. In Connecticut and throughout New England, Kent has represented institutional and private clients with respect to numerous development projects, including the negotiation and closing of pivotal acquisitions, leases, financing and capital raises.

With a unique blend of corporate and real estate experience, Kent provides firsthand insight into the practical business and legal challenges his clients face. He offers comprehensive guidance to individuals and entities throughout the entire deal lifecycle, from establishing sophisticated, multi-tier corporate, private equity, and hedge fund structures, to negotiating acquisition and financing terms, acquiring air and other development rights, and managing extensive national leasing portfolios. His recent work also encompasses joint ventures, sales, exchanges, syndications, construction financing, and complex commercial mortgage-backed securities and capital markets transactions.

Collaborating closely with his team, Kent delivers effective solutions for the most challenging aspects of each client’s deal, including navigating federal and state tax incentives and programs, and ensuring environmental compliance. He represents both lenders and debtors in bankruptcies, workouts, restructurings, and other matters involving distressed properties. Beyond the noted engagements, Kent's experience extends to tax-exempt and government-assisted projects, as well as condominium, hospitality, retail, multifamily residential, office, industrial, golf course, cell-tower, and mobile-home-park developments.

Kent’s work in Real Estate has been consistently recognized by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, the nation’s preeminent guide to law firms and individual attorneys. Since 2024, he has earned the distinguished ranking of "Star Individual”, a special recognition awarded to lawyers who have received outstanding recommendations in their field.

Credentials

Pace University, J.D., 1985, magna cum laude
Pace University Lubin School of Business, B.B.A., 1982, summa cum laude

Connecticut
New Jersey
New York

Distinctions

Experience

Commercial real estate

$450 Million Joint Venture to Acquire Fee Interest in the "Lipstick Building"

Represent affiliates of Ceruzzi Holdings and Shanghai Municipal Investment in a joint venture to acquire fee interest in 885 Third Avenue (the “Lipstick Building”). The transaction was a $450 million +- complex debt and equity structure and involved advice relating to unique ground lease and fee issues as well as multi-tier entity ownership structure.

General

Structuring and Negotiation of Master Lease for the Development of University Housing in Downtown Stamford, CT

Represented a university in connection with the complicated structuring and negotiation of a master lease, condominium and related documents for the development of dormitories in downtown Stamford, Connecticut.

$205M Joint Venture for Co-Development of New York City Mixed-Used Project

Successfully represented Ceruzzi Properties in a joint-venture agreement for the co-development of a 76-story mixed-use project in midtown Manhattan. Valued at $205 million, this was the second largest New York City real estate transaction recorded for the second week of July 2019. Representation included a partnership restructuring and recapitalization.

Acquisition of 238 Acres Inclusive of Equestrian Trails, Dock Access to the CT River and Six Distinct Properties in Lyme, CT

Represented private client in the acquisition of 238 acres comprising six distinct properties located in Lyme, Connecticut. The property contained various improvements including three houses, residential amenities such as tennis courts, stables, private roads, and tidal wetlands, marshes, pastures, fields, equestrian trails and walking trails. A significant portion of the property makes up the equestrian trails of the Lyme Trail Association, used by several hundred people each year for horseback and therapeutic riding, hiking and equestrian events. Three ponds, each of which include regulated dams, and a FAA-approved water-based landing strip are located at the property along with related docks, a launch ramp and other access points to the Connecticut River.

The extraordinarily complicated title to this property provided for a multitude of title issues, including private roads over which many parties have rights and obligations through various agreements, conservation restrictions, building and use restrictions, various dock rights for access to the Connecticut River, and other title rights, duties and obligations that could fill a treatise. As part of the work related to the dams, our team uncovered compliance issues with respect to the dams and set in place corrective measures, including the negotiation of an easement with an adjacent property owner for the construction of improvements related to a dam and flowage rights. Additional corrective measures had to be taken with respect to the dams, the docks and ramp involving the State of Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and local municipal authorities. Various related environmental issues were addressed along with issues related to the water-based landing strip in order to bring the property back into compliance, resulting in a successful acquisition by our private client.

Acquisition and Development of Jamaica, New York Hilton Hotel

Represent affiliates of Able Properties in connection with acquisition and development of well-reported development of Jamaica, New York development of Hilton Hotel directly across the street from multi-billion dollar transportation hub. Our representation includes advice relating to acquisition from Greater Jamaica Redevelopment and Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and included complex land use, administrative law, title and related issues.